


Wish That I Had Stevie...'s Girl

by Nina8228



Series: White Chrysanthemums and Gladioli [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Cheesy, Confused Bucky Barnes, Cuddly Steve Rogers, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, New Year's Eve, Pining, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Underage Drinking, hockey player steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:01:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22052938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nina8228/pseuds/Nina8228
Summary: Steve Rogers is not weak. Steve Rogers is a force of nature, a bellowing wind of fury knocking over buildings of injustice. He’s everything right with the world while Bucky Barnes is just a branch in the wind, easily swept away with the slightest of pressure. That’s why today Bucky has decided to be a tree.AKA the Jessie's Girl fic that no one asked for.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers
Series: White Chrysanthemums and Gladioli [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1587310
Comments: 5
Kudos: 39





	Wish That I Had Stevie...'s Girl

Steve Rogers is not weak. Steve Rogers is a force of nature, a bellowing wind of fury knocking over buildings of injustice. He’s everything right with the world while Bucky Barnes is just a branch in the wind, easily swept away with the slightest of pressure. That’s why today Bucky has decided to be a tree. To plant himself, sturdy and strong, and say “no, you move.” 

It sounds better when Peggy says it. 

Bucky can’t help but think of Peggy in this situation. It’s only been a few months since Bucky met her, longer since she and Steve started dating, but it already feels like years. Peggy is warm but sharp, like fire, but Bucky doesn’t wish to contain that fire, no one does. Peggy doesn’t need a man, but seeing her with Steve, and seeing the way Steve’s eyes light up whenever she comes to class, and seeing the way he never wants to let her go, it does something to Bucky. Something he can’t describe. “Jealousy” is what Sam says. He’s probably right, Sam usually is. 

Before Peggy it was always Steve and Bucky. Occasionally Sam would come hang out with them, but at the end of the day Bucky would always crash on Steve’s couch. Of course it wasn’t always just the two of them. Back in high school Steve didn’t even know Bucky existed. Bucky knew Steve though, everyone knew Steve, or at least knew about Steve. They knew about the skinny kid who seemed to like getting punched. They knew about the skinny kid with the short temper. They didn’t know about the kid with the sick mother, who couldn’t let assholes run rampant, who couldn’t back down no matter what, Bucky didn’t know that kid until much later. 

Bucky’s first day of college went like this; he woke up two hours late for his eight a.m class, was promptly late for his nine a.m. class and rushed into his ten a.m. class wearing a smelly shirt with unkempt hair and a coffee stain on his jeans. He grabbed the seat closest to the door and tried not to draw any more attention to himself. Once the attendance sheet reached his side of the auditorium his eyes immediately recognized the name three spaces above his, “Steve Rogers”, Bucky looked down his row and sure enough, there he was, Steve Rogers, the tall, lanky kid from high school who seemed to like getting punched. 

Bucky thought of all the times in high school where he’d seen the kid getting beat up and did nothing about it. All the guilt of four years just three seats away from him. He didn’t think. Once the professor dismissed them, instead of running back to his Uncle’s apartment to sleep the day away like he planned, he walked towards Steve Rogers. Bucky only came up to his nose, but he didn’t back down, he looked Steve in the eye and put on his most charming smile, “Hey, you’re Steve right? I think we went to the same high school.” 

“Really? What school did you go to?” His voice was deeper than Bucky had expected. 

“Lehigh, you probably wouldn’t recognize me anyway, we had like one class together in senior year, and I sat in the back and never got called on and you were always-” 

“Getting punched in the face, yeah, fun times.” Steve let out a bitter chuckle. “It was English right? Sixth period, with Taylor? You’re James, right?” Bucky blushed.

“Y-yeah, but I go by Bucky, actually…” Bucky didn’t really expect Steve to remember, he didn’t expect any of this at all. He thought he would just say hi and the two would pretend they never knew each other. He didn’t plan on Steve choosing the seat next to his the next day, he didn’t plan on Steve giving him his number so they could text each other about class, and he definitely didn’t plan on hanging out with Steve almost all the time. He did plan on switching his eight a.m. and nine a.m. classes for later on in the day. 

“Hey man,” the arm around his shoulder snaps Bucky out of his nostalgia, “we got a party to go to, where’s your head at?” Bucky shakes off Sam’s arm in fake annoyance and gets up from the surprisingly comfortable couch. 

“Nowhere, just mentally pregaming. You know how it is.” Bucky forges nonchalance, but on the inside he’s panicking about tonight. 

“Mhm, okay, whatever you say.” Sam pulls on his leather jacket while tossing Bucky his own. The two leave the apartment and head to Tony’s for the New Years party, supposedly the biggest and best party Stark will ever throw- at least until next year. Bucky loves parties, he loves the dancing, the people, and the energy in the room, the free booze is just an added bonus. He also loves how cute drunk Steve is. Sober Steve is just a wall of tension, even more so now that he beefed up, one would think with a girlfriend and good grades that a guy like Steve doesn’t need to be tense all the time, but Bucky’s theory is that Steve still sees himself as that short, scrawny kid that would get beat up for looking at someone weird, so he doesn’t know how to relax. Bucky fondly thinks back to Steve’s birthday party. 

It was just him, Steve, and Sam. Sam and Steve had just moved into an apartment together, Bucky wanted to room with them too but his uncle said no. He was adamant that Bucky should either stay with him or move into a campus dorm. For Steve’s birthday the three stayed up and watched a bunch of movies. It originally started as a Lord of the Rings marathon but then Steve revealed he’s never seen Star Wars and Bucky and Sam just couldn’t let that continue. Sam was able to get a bottle of vodka and they shared it amongst themselves. Sam hated the taste and stopped after one shot. Bucky and Steve entered their own unspoken drinking match. Bucky knew he would win, Steve knew Bucky would win but Steve Rogers is not a quitter. Before long Steve was absolutely plastered and Bucky had a nice buzz going. Years of rebellious teenage drinking finally coming in handy. Steve became much more tactile when he was drunk. In the middle of Episode II he stretched across Bucky’s lap. 

“You comfortable buddy?” Bucky chuckled fondly. Steve drowsily nodded his head and nestled into Bucky’s lap. Sam laughed at him and shook his head. Bucky started absentmindedly combing through his blond hair. It was soft and Steve reacted happily. Bucky’s heart was beating so loud, he cared so much about Steve. Looking down at him, curled up peacefully, it made Bucky feel things. Things he didn’t notice before but probably felt then too, when it was just the two of them. Steve was definitely asleep when the new trilogy started. Sam turned off the tv and suggested that they all go to bed. Bucky nudged Steve until he woke up. He blinked slowly and pouted at Bucky for waking him up. Absolutely adorable. 

“C’mon Stevie, let’s go to bed.” Steve pouted but still attempted to get up. He wobbled a bit and Bucky reached out to steady him. He helped usher Steve into his bedroom. Steve launched himself at the mattress. They had the foresight to change into pajamas before the movie marathon started so Bucky backed out of the room to go sleep on the sofa. He took one step back and Steve immediately started whining and stretched his arm out making grabby motions for Bucky. 

“Stay.” Bucky took a deep breath. 

“Yea, okay bud.” Steve pulled up the covers and scooched closer to the wall so Bucky would have room. Bucky lied down on his back and stared at the roof nervously. 

“Hold me, Buck.” Steve nuzzled closer to Bucky. He was drunk, he just needed affection, that’s all. Bucky obliged and turned so he could hold Steve comfortably in his arms. Steve made a content noise and soon fell asleep. Bucky stayed awake for a while focusing on Steve’s crooked nose, his too-long eyelashes, and just how someone so precious could go through so much bullshit in one lifetime. His arms wrapped tighter around Steve, he would make sure no one would ever hurt this ray of sunshine. Steve clung to him like a lifeline. Now Steve will probably cling to Peggy and no matter what happens, Peggy will be the one he goes home with. 

Steve is lucky to have Peggy. 

The two met over the summer when Steve was at training camp and Peggy was touring the campus on her international student orientation. Bucky doesn’t remember how he felt about her when they met, confused probably. Steve, Sam and him were getting lunch at the student union and complaining about their classes when Peggy showed up in a bright red blouse and kissed Steve on the cheek. Bucky seemed to be the only one surprised but he didn’t say anything, later that night, however, he had a lot to say on the subject. 

“Why didn’t you tell me about your new girlfriend?” Bucky turned on Steve the second they got to his dorm. Steve was barely in the threshold still putting his keys away. He was caught off guard by the sudden attack. Bucky had seemed fine with everything a few minutes ago. 

“I don’t know, I just didn’t think it was that important.” Steve shrugged. Bucky became more irritated. 

“What do you mean “it’s not that important”? How long have you two been together?” There was a brief pause. Steve looked at Bucky with so much regret, Bucky wished he never started this conversation. 

“Three months.” 

“Oh.” Bucky’s heart sank, he felt like the ground had been pulled from underneath him. He was lost for words, every thought went back to “Please no”. Steve was looking very concerned for his friend’s sudden lack of response. He reached out, Bucky instinctively stepped back. 

“Buck?”

“...So you’re happy then?”

“Huh?”

“With Peggy? You’re happy? You must be, you’ve been dating for _three fucking months_!” Bucky laughed bitterly. He ran his hands frantically through his hair. He felt like he was losing his fucking mind. 

“Bucky—” 

“No! Don’t give me some fucking excuse. You’ve been dating for three months! Sam fuckin’ knew! I thought I was supposed to be your best friend—”

“You are!” 

“Then why didn’t you tell me!” 

“I told you it wasn’t that important!” The two had escalated to a screaming match that was sure to get them in trouble. 

“S-so you don’t actually like her? This is all just fun for you!” Bucky accused. He felt like crying. Steve looked betrayed briefly but then turned furious. 

“What about you? Sam said you went on a date some girl from you class! Why do I have to tell you everything if you’re just gonna act like this?”

“Oh, don’t worry Stevie. I planned on keeping it a secret until we dated for at least three months— ‘cause that’s what friends do apparently!” Bucky replied bitterly. Steve glared at him and Bucky glared back. 

“I think you should go.” 

“...Yeah okay. Just answer me this. Were you even going to tell me?” Steve couldn’t meet his eye. Bucky knew the answer. He grabbed his keys and left the dorm. It was the longest time that Steve and Bucky went without talking to each other. Bucky missed his friend like crazy. It was painfully lonely going to art class, seeing Steve, but not being able to talk to him. He really didn’t want to give up on their friendship because of a girl. Bucky caved first and apologized for overreacting and Steve apologized for not telling Bucky beforehand and the two made up over pancakes. After that Peggy became a staple in the group. She brought along Tony, and Tony… 

“Hey Buckster, where’s your better half?” Tony laughs and ushers Bucky back into the kitchen for more appetizers. “It’s like nine, don’t tell me he fell asleep after dinner again, you know I think it’s about time we seriously consider putting old Steve-o in a home.” Bucky laughs and munches on some carrots from the veggie tray. 

“Aww Tony, you worried? He can probably live here with you, I’m sure he’d feel right at home with all these old statues and shit.” Bucky teases with a crooked grin. “Don’t worry about it, I’m sure he’s just off helping an old lady cross the street or something.” Bucky gives Tony’s shoulder a squeeze and goes back to the fancy lounge chair he was previously occupying. 

Tony’s party is getting started as more and more groups of people enter the house. For the most part people were congregating in the den area and the living room-turned dance floor. Slowly, slowly people started heading upstairs. All the bedrooms were on the second floor since the professional kitchen took up so much room on the first floor. Bucky continues wandering around the first floor checking in on each of his friends. Tony’s getting trashed in the corner, but Bucky doesn’t worry about him too much since his friend Rhodey is looking after him. Sam is flirting with some business major, and Peggy is dancing with her cousin and a few other girls Bucky doesn’t know. Steve still hasn’t shown up, but no one else is concerned aside from Bucky. 

Maybe this is a good thing. 

He’s talked to Sam about this before, to be honest, Sam is the only person he can really talk to. Tony’s nice but he doesn’t take anything seriously, and this matter directly involves Peggy and Steve. Bucky is hopelessly in love with Peggy. Now that he thinks about it he actually met Peggy before she joined them for lunch. He’s not sure how he never noticed but Peggy was in his and Steve’s art class. Maybe if her and Steve never met then maybe Bucky would be with her. She’s very attractive, with a stunning personality, and Bucky’s always been drawn to strong women. 

Would Peggy have liked him? Obviously she likes him now, but that’s just as a friend, would she have liked him romantically if she never met Steve? Probably, she likes Steve, Steve likes Bucky so why wouldn’t Peggy like Bucky? Peggy and him would be so sweet together, he’d hold her hand all the time like Steve does, he’d walk her to class and kiss her goodbye like Steve does, if he was any good at art he would draw her like Steve does. She would be the muse to all his pieces. However, Steve is the one with all the talent, with his deft hands, they’re always stained with charcoal or oil pastels. Bucky finds himself thinking of them at times, wishing they were his own, especially when Peggy gets to hold them. That’s about as much PDA as the couple does, but Bucky can’t help but think of the two together. Steve probably holds her in his arms at night, he looks at her with so much love in those big blue eyes. They’re like a clear sky on a sunny spring day, one can’t help but feel elation. No matter what size Steve is he always has those beautiful blue eyes. 

Is Peggy only interested in Steve for his body? She only met him after he became all big and muscular. Bucky saw him when he was tiny and skinny, though no girls liked him Bucky couldn’t see anything wrong with him. When he got taller he still wasn’t considered attractive and Bucky still didn’t understand. Especially after the two became friends Bucky quickly saw that Steve was like something straight out of a romance novel. He may not have looked the part but Steve was a thoughtful, caring guy who any girl would’ve been lucky to have. Now he has the perfect body to match his perfect personality. Bucky may not be as big as Steve but he still has a nice body, maybe Peggy would have liked his body. If Bucky was a girl he would have probably had a major crush on Steve in high school. 

“Don’t tell me you’re actually sitting in the corner mooning over your crush on Steve at a party?” Sam comes over and hands Bucky a drink. Bucky’s not sure what it is anymore, but he doesn’t care, he needs another drink. 

“I don’t have a crush on Steve, I’m not gay. I don’t even know why you think that.” 

“Definitely doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that even now, when he isn't here and there’s a party going on, the only person you’re thinking about is Steve. He’s a big boy, he’s fine wherever he is, but you’re here pining like a wife in the war.” Sam pulls Bucky up from his comfy seat. 

“M’not a wife, I like Peggy, you know that.” Sam levels him with an unimpressed look. 

“Right, and what’s her cousin’s name?”

“......Kate?” 

“It’s Sharon. Peggy talks about her like all the time, I think she’s trying to set you two up.” Sam leads Bucky out to the backyard where the fireworks are being set up. “Look, I’ve known you and Steve the longest. I can see it. There’s something there, man.” Bucky doesn’t say anything. Sam studies him for a moment. Bucky’s skin prickles at the attention. The irritation boils up inside him. 

“I’m not gay!” He says. Sam continues to study him, this time with more pity. “I’m not! I like…girls. And Peggy— Stop it! I can’t be gay!” Bucky says this more to himself. 

“Why not?” 

“Huh?”

“Why can’t you be gay?” Sam asks. 

“Because…” No reasons came. Why couldn’t he be gay? _Because Uncle Alex says homosexuality is from Satan_. But Tony is pansexual, and Tony may be strange but he’s not evil. _Tony is damned, you just can’t see it_. Bucky looks at Tony. He’s just laughing and annoying Rhodey. He can’t be evil…. Sam cleared his throat. He was giving Bucky a knowing look. One that said “I’m right, and you know I’m right.” Bucky felt defensive, he didn’t want to be wrong. 

“If you’re gonna psychoanalyze me, at least get me another drink, I’m too sober for this.” Bucky groaned. Sam rolls his eyes, ceding defeat. 

“You know as well as I do that psychoanalysis is all bullshit, but we will talk about this later. For now, we’ll have some fun,” Sam puts an arm around Bucky and they go inside to get Bucky another drink. “It’s your last night, I’m sorry Steve isn’t here to celebrate.” Bucky ignores the spike of pain in his chest. He really wanted to see Steve before flying to Saint Petersburg. Sam mixes a drink for Bucky and sticks to his water since he’s the designated driver tonight. Tony offered the spare rooms in his house to them but Bucky has a lot of packing to do. Tony insisted this party doubles as a going away party for him. 

Bucky’s a little superstitious and the last time he and Steve were separated for a long time, Steve found Peggy. So now when Bucky is going to Russia for study abroad he’s worried that Steve will find someone again and replace Bucky. It’s only been a little over a year but Bucky grew dependent on Steve, it’s hard to imagine not being friends with him. He almost dropped out so he could stay for spring semester but everything had already been paid and Bucky’s uncle wouldn’t hesitate to force Bucky to go if he needed to. He is weary of Bucky and Steve’s friendship, but not for the reason Sam thinks, it’s only because he’s a bit of a prick and thinks anyone who isn’t from a rich family is beneath them. Steve only met him once on accident and after that he never really asked about Bucky’s family again. 

Bucky needs another drink. Sam’s gone, probably off with that brunette from earlier, good for him. Sam is a good guy, Bucky knows he only pushes this gay thing because he cares but still, it’s annoying. Bucky met Sam in their shared physics class, Sam is good at a lot of things but physics isn’t one of them. Sam would have had to retake the class if Bucky hadn’t been such a good person and decided to help him out. Actually it was more like Sam wouldn’t stop bugging Bucky after class, trying to get him to study with him or just help him out. When he told Steve about the annoying kid in physics who insisted that he wouldn’t pass without Bucky’s guidance Steve just laughed and said he thought it was cute that Bucky had an admirer, he ultimately convinced Bucky to do the right thing and help out. But it was after that grueling semester that Sam decided fuck aeronautical science he’s going into clinical psychology, and although he hates to admit it, Sam is actually better suited for psych. He has the kind of face that anyone could easily open up to. 

It was fate when Sam met Steve. The two ended up on the hockey team together with Steve as the center and Sam as right wing. Sam, being the friendly guy he is, walked right up to Steve and introduced himself. Steve was shocked, still not used to people actually taking an interest in him, and called Bucky that night gushing about this guy Sam who he thinks is his friend now(?). Bucky asked him if this Sam had a gap between his front teeth, Steve said yes and Bucky laughed explaining that Sam was Sam Wilson, his former admirer. Steve laughed too and soon the three of them started hanging out whenever Bucky was in town and the two didn’t have practice. And then Peggy came in. 

Sam was there when Peggy and Steve met, and he didn’t hesitate to tell Bucky about it after he had finally met Peggy himself. Peggy had come to sit in for one of their practice games and during the break one of the players, Gil, started hitting on her and Steve was about to tell him to fuck off when Peggy got up and decked him. It was at that moment, Sam describes, Steve knew she had to be in his life. Of course Steve would find someone who had as much proclivity to fighting as he did. Peggy got banned from the arena, she didn’t mind, to be honest Bucky doesn’t either, now Steve’s hockey games are something that is just for him and Steve (and Sam). 

But now Bucky is going away for the semester, and then staying with his family in Indiana in the summer so he won’t see anyone until fall. Steve promises to message him constantly and about everything but he hasn’t even sent him a message the entire night. It’s his last night and Steve decided to fuck off and disappear. No one else seems to care, not even Sam. “You’re his roommate, you should know where he is!” Bucky yells. Oh, right, Sam isn’t here. He takes another drink. He looks down and sees blue painted nails wrapping around his wrist. 

“He said he would come,” Peggy’s sweet voice cuts through the fog in Bucky’s head. “Just give him some time, it’s not even midnight yet, we both know he would drive to the airport like in those romantic comedies, just to see you before you leave.” She holds his hand and gives a reassuring squeeze. Peggy is like Steve’s eyes, a warm spring day, you can’t help but feel happy around her. Actually no, it’s not quite happiness, it’s more like safety and security. Peggy is always so well put together that you can’t help but feel a little calmer being around her. He gives her a small smile. 

“I know, I just worry about him. He has a way of getting himself into trouble.” Peggy laughs at that and moves her hand to Bucky’s forearm. 

“He really does, it’s hard to imagine what it must’ve been like for him before he met you.” 

“He could always take care of himself, he never needed me.”

“But you still worry?” She gives him a sad look, waiting for his answer. Steve shouldn’t have to always take care of himself, he deserves to be taken care of as much as anybody. But the bass and alcohol is pounding in Bucky’s ears, and Peggy is looking at him, really looking at him so he forgets her question all together. 

“You wanna dance?” He yells over the music. Peggy questions him briefly but then nods emphatically, grabs his hand and pulls him onto the makeshift dance floor. The two move together, Bucky keeps a respectable distance as she’s still Steve’s girl, but a hand on a waist is harmless. Bucky loves this. Letting the music fill him and just take control, having no plan for how he will move but just doing it. Peggy is a great partner. She moves with Bucky and isn’t afraid of what Bucky will do. Carefree. Steve could never be this carefree, anytime Bucky asks him to dance at a party Steve just laughs and tells Bucky to go have fun while he stands in the background. He’s hardly ever seen Peggy this relaxed, hardly ever seen her dance with Steve. It’s at this point that Bucky thinks back to what Peggy always says, and Bucky decides that tonight he’s going to plant himself like a tree. He can already hear Sam in his head telling him it’s a stupid idea. But the way Peggy is grinning at him and laughing and just having a good time, it makes Bucky think about what could be. He looks at the clock, fifteen till midnight, he’s leaving for a long time tomorrow. The alcohol in his system mixed with the constant stream of “fuck it” going on in his head gives Bucky the fake confidence he needs. He pulls Peggy off the dancefloor, she hesitates a bit but follows anyway. He leads her upstairs to one of the hopefully empty rooms. He closes the door and she looks at him concerned. 

“Peggy.”

“Bucky, what’s going on?” 

“I need to tell you something. It’s something I’ve known for a while but have tried to hide. I thought I could just get over it, but I can’t and I’m leaving tomorrow and I won’t be back for a while. If Steve was here, I probably would’ve talked with him about it first, because I don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea, ya know, but he’s not, so I gotta do it this way.” Bucky holds on to Peggy’s hands and looks down at the floor. He should face her for this but he just can’t. “Peggy,” he starts.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she cups his face. 

“I’m in love with yo—” “You’re gay.” 

The two just look at each other, shocked. What the actual fuck. 

“You think I’m gay?” 

“Well it sure seemed that way, with all this talk about how you tried to hide it and you never seemed really interested in any of the girls I introduced to you. So I just kinda assumed this was where that was going, I’m sorry for assuming, but… Bucky. You’re in love with me?” Bucky looks shamefully to the ground. “You know I adore you as a friend, but I’m with Steve. I’m sorry.” She rubs his forearm reassuringly. Bucky doesn’t want Peggy to see him so hurt so he keeps looking at the ground. 

“Ya know,” he sniffles, “Sam thought I was gay too. Maybe I just give off that vibe. He thought… well it sounds less stupid now.” He lets out a humorless chuckle, Peggy gives a somber smile. “Peggy, could I kiss you.” He knows she’ll say no, but he’s seen her kiss Steve so many times that he can’t help but wonder what it must be like. It’d probably be like being hit by a tidal wave. 

“Okay…” Peggy sees how confused he is, poor baby. Maybe this will help him out, it’s just one kiss, she’ll explain the situation to Steve in the morning. 

Bucky looks up surprised but doesn’t say anything. It’ll mean nothing for her, he can see it in her eyes. The same eyes that Steve claims could melt steel and freeze fire all in the same glance. He hesitates on where to put his hands and just leaves them at his side when he feels Peggy’s manicured nails bringing his face up so she can kiss him. 

It’s chaste and simple. Just like any kiss he’s had before. He doesn’t know why he was expecting some out of body, eye-opening experience, and to be honest, he’s a little bit glad. Now he knows that- 

“You’ve gotta be shitting me.” 

Bucky and Peggy look up to see an angry Steve with a bouquet of white chrysanthemums at his feet. Bucky doesn’t know what happened next. He can see Peggy saying something to Steve, but all Bucky sees are the flowers. Petals stained with dirt, flattened and destroyed. Bucky comes back briefly to see Steve Rogers towering above and then Bucky’s gone again when the fist comes flying into his face. 

He lays there on the ground, unmoving, uncertain, and unwilling to go on. Steve would never hit someone after they’re down. Steve storms out of the room. Bucky curls into himself as the tears start falling. Peggy bends down to check on Bucky but he can’t hear here. Bucky thinks about everything from these past two years. He thinks back to high school. The day when he first saw Steve Rogers. He knew it then like he knows it now. 

Steve Rogers is not weak. Steve Rogers is a force of nature, a bellowing wind of fury. And Bucky Barnes is just a branch in the wind.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic on AO3 and for this fandom. Hopefully it goes well. All support and advice would be appreciated!
> 
> Part Two will be uploaded Saturday Jan 4


End file.
